Hello everyone, Jess here.
Today I thought I’d share our family tradition of making potato pancakes. It is a lot of work, it is messy and makes for a lot of cleanup. Why bother sharing a recipe like this? Because the taste of a good latke is unlike anything else out there. Because the amount of work it takes brings a family together. Because these are worth it.
Let me now share the recipe that tastes like the best parts of my childhood.
Ingredients:
- vegetable or canola oil (amount varies depending on your pan size)
- 6 medium potatoes (I used the yukon gold from the CSA)
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons flour (I used buckwheat flour to keep things gluten-free tonight)
- Large paper bags (like the ones fro, the grocery store)
Begin by grating your potatoes using the most annoying side of the box grater, as shown. I prefer skins using and all, but Nan peels hers before grating. Whatever works for you! I should also add that your potatoes will begin to discolor and gray up as you grate, this is perfectly normal, carry on.
Next, add your flour, eggs and salt, stirring to combine.
Things always taste better when there’s a Nan involved with the cooking process!
Heat your oil on the griddle before testing a small dollop of the potato mixture as shown. If you see the oil bubbling around its edges, your oil is hot enough. If its sputtering and spattering, dial it back a bit until things calm down, then resume.
Once the edges begin to bubble and brown, the pancakes are ready to flip over.
Here’s a good brown edge developing. Ready to flip!
This picture is post-flip. Starting to look delicious!
Here’s the low-tech method my family has used for generations to drain the latkes – the brown paper bag.
Here are the pancakes on the little stove shelf under the heat lamp.
Mine are a little darker than the average latke due to the buckwheat flour. They may not be much to look at, but they are fabulously delicious, especially with ketchup, sour cream, and/or maple syrup.
The taste and texture of these is other worldly. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!